Early Care and Education State Indicator Report

CDC releases first-ever Early Care and Education (ECE) State Indicator Report

The CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity released the 2016 Early Care and Education (ECE) State Indicator Report. This first-ever report looks at how states are doing in 7 of the 11 areas outlined in the Spectrum of Opportunities to improve nutrition, physical activity, breastfeeding support, and reduced screen time in the ECE setting.

The State Indicator Report showcases key accomplishments, especially in 3 areas of opportunity.

• Licensing: Of 25 states that made licensing updates from 2011-2014, all included obesity prevention. Mississippi leads the nation meeting 15 out of 47 high impact obesity prevention standards.
• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS): Of the 39 states that have ECE quality ratings, 29 include obesity prevention standards.
• Professional development: 42 states offered online professional development for ECE providers covering obesity prevention topics.

State health departments and other key ECE stakeholders can use the Early Care and Education State Indicator Report to guide future efforts and inform decision makers about existing policy and system supports for ECE obesity prevention in their state.